Jaxon Traveler 10th Stakes Winner of Year for Munnings
Munnings’ Jaxon Traveler (4c Munnings x Listen Boy, by After Market) won a stakes race for the third straight season on Saturday with a victory in the Grade III Maryland Sprint Stakes at Pimlico.
A three-time stakes winner before Saturday’s race, Jaxon Traveler was looking for his first career graded stakes victory in the race after placings in both his starts at the level. Jockey Joel Rosario hustled Jaxon Traveler out of the gate to get the lead and he set a pressured pace in the six-furlong affair.
The 4-year-old put that one behind him with just over a quarter of a mile left to run but had to face a duel from Three Over Deuces before he could visit the winner’s circle. That’s exactly what the Munnings son did, crossing the line 1 ¾ lengths in front with the third placed runner nearly four lengths behind.
It is the 15th top three finish from 16 starts for the Steve Asmussen-trained Jaxon Traveler, who is the earner of $571,310.
“When he breaks well, he runs well,” said Asmussen. “He hit the ground running and proved best. That's who he's always been. This was a major target for him, a very good victory for him, his first graded-stakes win, so we'll sit down and discuss it with West Point to see where we'll run him next."
Bred by Dr. and Mrs. A Leonard Pineau, he was a $140,000 2-year-old purchase by West Point Thoroughbreds who races him in partnership with Marvin Delfiner.
Jaxon Traveler is one of four winners from five to race out of the stakes-placed Listen Boy, who herself is one of three stakes performers out of the winning Shadow of Mine.
Jaxon Traveler is the 10th stakes winner of 2022 for Munnings, tying him atop the leaderboard with Into Mischief. He also has 15 stakes performers and four graded stakes winners in 2022.